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| Virlis Fisher Arch (a very large jug handle arch) |
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| Bridge Spring Arch |
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| Heading toward the First Saddle |
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| Starting out in Easy Wash |
The Fearsome Foursome drove down through the Eldorado Valley to the Nelson, NV area on Sunday. This is a hike that all of us have done several times, yet, none of us were familiar enough with the preferred routes to accomplish it without the help of a GPS and old tracks. We wanted to combine a couple of the tracks to include the old route through the washes and the new rabbit hole trail. What turned out in the end was a fabulous hike of five miles! So, as we drove down through the Eldorado Valley between the McCullough Range and the Eldorado Mountains we watched a pilot of an ultralight swing his parachute to and fro. It does tend to distract your gaze from the road. Although we have had quite a bit of rain in the last week, the playa was dry.
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| Ralyn, "Oh look! An itty bitty arch!" Mike, "We have arrived at Virlis Fisher!" - NOT |
We turned left onto SR 165 and drove up a gradual hill for ten miles. At the top of this long hill, we pulled into a trailhead parking lot to the left where our hike would begin. At around 9am, we were the only ones there ... but, today was the first day of Daylight Savings Time.
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| Volcanic Tuff rising in the Background |
On the drive up the hill, the scenery gets more and more interesting as you enter into an ancient ash flow from a volcano in the Eldorado Mountains 15.2 million years ago. The old volcanoes are turned on their side and the colorful hardened ash, or tuff, is prominently displayed.
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| Silver Cholla |
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| Volcanic Tuff with Yellow Lichen |
Facing the wilderness to the north, we began our hike by dipping into the wash to the left. The wash was innocent enough and it wasn't until we made the corner turn back to the northeast that the washes became a lot more interesting. We were hiking up a wash with walls of around 7 or 8 feet when we flushed an owl out of the brush. The owl flew up the wash and landed around the corner on a rock that appeared to be familiar to him/her. As we turned the corner, I spied him pretty far away and tried to get a quick photo before he flew away. It was a blurry photo that you can see in the collage two photos below. I think it was a long-eared owl. Not sure. Our wildlife of the day! The wash led us to a short easy climb up into the foothills of the tuff rock above. We could clearly see the target saddle as we approached.
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| First views of Virlis Fisher Arch from the First Saddle |
There were a couple of trails that took us to the saddle. Then we connected with a trail that led down the wash on the other side. The top of this wash was located directly below the cave in the tuff that a few of us have visited in the past.
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| Quartz Crystals, Long Eared Owl, and The Cave |
Following the trail, we descended the wash that also required some scrambling. At the bottom of the wash, there were two very large cairns directing us to the left into another scrambling wash.
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| Descending Scramble Wash |
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| Scramble Wash |
This section of the hike has always been a little confusing. We never do it the same from year to year using game trails over the hills to the east. Our choice was to continue down the wash until we came to a trail that exited the wash to the right. This was fine. It took us up, down and around a couple of hills. Then we climbed up a small long hill that barred our way to the valley wash. Finally, we had a great view of the arch and we knew exactly where we were! Before long, we spied the club's gathering rock and decided to hike to it before starting our climb directly up from there to the arch. A small water break prepared us for the biggest climb of the morning then up we went to the base of a small chute found just to the left of the arch.
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| Virlis Fisher Arch from Valley Floor |
Ralyn was there first. She scrambled up like it was nothing! I was next, then Mike, then Rita. We waited between climbers so that loose rocks didn't dive bomb the next climber! That's easy to do in this chute.
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| Ralyn scrambles up the Chute |
When all four of us were up at the arch, we took our group photos and ate a snack. It was a beautiful day but the faraway haze prevented us from seeing the snow-capped mountains. However, our sky was gorgeous!
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| Fearsome Foursome under Virlis Fisher Arch |
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| Rita navigates the Chute Descent |
After our short break with a view, we chose our descent route. Rita and I descended the chute where we had come up. Mike and Ralyn descended on the other side of the arch. Next, we found the traverse trail that led over to the overlook saddle. This trail requires a steep scree descent at one point but the last part of the trail is good at the base of the rock wall. On the overlook, we took in the grand view of Lake Mohave, part of the Colorado River, in the vicinity of a river feature called Two Rocks. This is the only place where we got hit with a cold wind. After photos here, we continued in the same direction on a trail that led around the rim then down into a shallow wash.
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| Finding the Traverse Trail to Overlook Saddle |
Near the bottom of the short wash, we found trails that led us over and up to the rabbit hole alley in the ridge of hills to the south. One trail led directly up to the opening.
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| Lake Mohave from the Overlook Saddle |
We climbed up through the hole then continued the climb up a trail next to the alley wash. At the top, there is another drop to a saddle then a trail up to the right to the next ridge.
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| Trail to Rabbit Hole Ascent |
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| Rabbit Hole |
This trail is a good trail that can be seen from the previous ridge top. We followed this trail around a corner and to the top of the side of the canyon that holds Bridge Spring Arch. Therefore, the next section starts a steep descent down through some loose stuff on a trail. After passing a wall on our left, we followed the trail to the top of the natural bridge. Although difficult, the descent could be continued down the hill to pass under the bridge. Believe me! I considered that carefully! This would be my first time on top of the bridge. I'm not a fan of heights and precarious situations. However, I was with a group of friends that I knew would help me through it so I managed to talk myself into following the other three onto the top of the bridge!
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| Is that a cairn? |
Mike was onto the bridge and down to the wash in no time. Then Rita, a very brave soul, followed. Ralyn, who is also brave and agile was next. Then, it was me!
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| Taking a look Around |
I climbed down to the top of the bridge and took a couple of photos. (I might not be there again!!) Then, I tackled the scariest part. I climbed over a slanted hump to the 6 inch ledge that provided the way down. Yes, the slanted hump slanted toward a 30 foot drop! I'm not so brave.
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| Bridge Spring volcanic ridge holding Virlis Fisher Arch - created by Lava Flow |
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| Descent to Bridge Spring Arch |
Phew! I made it! Here, we passed two other hiker ladies that were out for the day and started our scramble/hike up the wash. Up on the hill to our right, we remembered the cave where we did a little exploratory a couple of years ago with Chuck H. Next, we passed a young family of five in the narrow wash. At a wash junction, there is a trail that climbs up the point of the embankment. Wishing to learn something, we took the trail. As it turned out, the left wash at the junction would have been the better choice. Eventually, we climbed back down to this wash at the point where the main trail started its long climb up back to the trailhead. This part of the trail is fairly easy to navigate as it rises over two small hills and circles around.
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| Down Canyon from top of Bridge Spring Arch |
Back at that junction, we noticed Mike's landmark in sight. This is a muffin topped colorful rock hill that rises on the other side of SR 165 from the trailhead, a little bit east.
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| Navigating the Bridge |
The landmark can be seen in the last photo of this entry. Since you cannot see the cars on the approach to the trailhead until you are on the old road, this is a good landmark to use to know where you are.
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| Up Canyon from the top of Bridge |
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| Scrambling up the wash from Bridge Spring Arch |
As we hiked down the old road, we passed a truck who's driver had parked on the old road trailhead. When I first began hiking this trail with the group, we always parked up here. Now, we park down in the gravel next to the paved highway. Our four cars had filled one side of the parking area, but three more cars had found space to park next to us. Two more cars had just arrived and were happy we were leaving so they could park where our cars were. An excellent day after a week of bad weather. Happy trails!
Stats: 5 miles; 1125' gain; 4 hours
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| Nearing top of Wash |
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| Tuff Layers |
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| Trail to Trailhead - Muffin Landmark across SR 165 |
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